Adjusting components of cargo transporation units

ABSTRACT

In some examples, a controller detects a compromised condition of a component of a cargo transportation unit (CTU), determines a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU, and controls adjustment of the component in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

BACKGROUND

Trucks, tractor-trailers, or tractors that are connected to chassis forcarrying containers can be used to transport cargo that includes goods.Cargo can be transported from an origin (such as a factory, a warehouse,a retail outlet, etc.) to a destination (such as retail outlet, awarehouse, customer premises, etc.) along a route. Components oftrailers or other cargo transportation units that carry cargo can weardown over time, or can experience faulty operation. Such worn componentsor faulty components may prevent the trailers or other cargotransportation units from operating properly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some implementations of the present disclosure are described withrespect to the following figures.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example arrangement including a cargotransportation unit (CTU) and a vehicle attached to the CTU, accordingto some implementations.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of another example arrangement including aCTU, a vehicle attached to the CTU, and a remote controller, accordingto further implementations.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an example process of a controller,according to some implementations.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a controller according to someimplementations.

Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar,but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarilyto scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearlyillustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examplesand/or implementations consistent with the description; however, thedescription is not limited to the examples and/or implementationsprovided in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present disclosure, use of the term “a,” “an”, or “the” isintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. Also, the term “includes,” “including,”“comprises,” “comprising,” “have,” or “having” when used in thisdisclosure specifies the presence of the stated elements, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of other elements.

A cargo transportation unit (CTU) in the form of a moveable platform canbe used to carry cargo items between different geographic locations. A“cargo item” can refer to any physical item that is to be delivered fromone location to another location. “Cargo” can refer to one or more cargoitems. In some examples, a CTU can be a container (that is attached to atractor), a cargo carrying portion of a truck, or a trailer, where thecontainer provides an enclosed space in which the physical items can bestored during shipment. In other examples, the CTU can include anothertype of carrier structure that is able to carry cargo items. Moregenerally, the CTU can be part of, mounted on, or attached, asapplicable, to a vehicle, such as a truck, a trailer, a tractor, a car,a railed vehicle (e.g., a train), a watercraft (e.g., a ship), anaircraft, a spacecraft, and so forth. The vehicle can haul the CTU thatis part of, mounted on, or attached to the vehicle.

In some examples, a vehicle to which a CTU is attached to, mounted on,or part of, can be a driverless vehicle that can be self-driving. Adriverless vehicle (also referred to as an “autonomous vehicle”) refersto a vehicle that is without a driver, i.e., a human that controls themovement of the vehicle while the driver is located on the vehicle. Aself-driving or autonomous vehicle has the intelligence andself-awareness to perform driving tasks, including driving itself froman origin to a destination, without any human driver on the vehicle.

Without the presence of a human driver, a CTU that is attached to,mounted on, or part of an unmanned vehicle may not be properlymaintained or configured. Typically, when a CTU is associated with avehicle that has a human driver, the human driver can perform checks ofthe CTU (such as before a trip begins, at specified points during atrip, at specified maintenance times, or at other times) to ensure thatvarious components of the CTU are properly maintained or configured.Examples of such components can include any or some combination of thefollowing: a tire, a wheel, a suspension, an aerodynamic shroud, a doorlock, a brake, a seal, and so forth. The foregoing example componentsare examples of adjustable mechanical elements that can be adjusted todifferent states. Although example adjustable components are listed, itis noted that in other examples, additional or alternative adjustablecomponents can be employed in a CTU. More generally, an “adjustablecomponent” of a CTU can refer to any adjustable component that is partof the CTU or that otherwise affects the operation of the CTU.

As examples, a human driver can perform checks of the CTU's tires, suchas to determine whether the tires are inflated to a target pressure andto check the wear of the tires. Improperly maintained tires of the CTUcan present a dangerous condition, since incorrectly inflated tiresand/or tires with excessive wear may cause a CTU to lose control whiletraveling on a road, which can lead to accidents that can cause injuryto humans and/or cause damage to the cargo carried by the CTU.Furthermore, incorrectly inflated tires and/or excessively worn tirescan lead to inefficient operation of the CTU. For example,under-inflated tires results in increased friction between the tires andthe road, which can lead to reduced gas mileage of the vehicle.

The CTU can include other adjustable components that if not properlymaintained or configured can lead to dangerous conditions (such as dueto a tire blowout or brake failure) or less efficient operation of theCTU.

In accordance with some implementations of the present disclosure, inresponse to detecting a compromised condition of a component of a CTU, aCTU controller can determine a time of performing a next maintenance ofthe CTU, and can control adjustment of the component in response todetecting the compromised condition and based on the time of performingthe next maintenance of the CTU. A “compromised condition” of acomponent can refer to any condition of the component that prevents thecomponent from achieving operational behavior according to a target goalor specification. For example, the compromised condition can be a resultof wear of the component. In other examples, the compromised conditioncan be a result of fault associated with the component. A goal of someimplementations of the present disclosure is to extend the performanceof the CTU to the next maintenance of the CTU, or to help finish acurrent delivery of cargo and then immediately schedule the service forthe CTU, while avoiding a dead or damaged CTU on the road. It isdesirable to be able to finish a current delivery with as little damageas possible to the CTU due to the compromised condition of a component(or multiple components), and to return the CTU to a home location orother target location so that the appropriate maintenance can beperformed on the CTU.

Maintenance on a CTU can refer to any action taken on the CTU to serviceone or more components of the CTU, such as by replacing or repairingcomponent(s), refilling fluid(s), such as a brake fluid, a transmissionfluid, an engine fluid, etc., of the CTU, checking for wear and tear ofcomponent(s), or any other action that checks, repairs, or addresses anoperational status of component(s) of the CTU.

A time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU can refer to apre-scheduled time, such as a regularly scheduled time for performingmaintenance of the CTU (e.g., performing maintenance after passage of aspecified time interval, performing maintenance after a specifieddistance has been travelled by the CTU, etc.). Alternatively, a time ofperforming maintenance of a CTU can refer to a time that is requested orset on demand, such as in response to detecting a compromised conditionof a component. The time of the next maintenance of the CTU can be basedon an amount of time for the CTU to travel to a service facility, andthe time that the service facility is available to receive the CTU formaintenance. In the latter examples, the time of performing the nextmaintenance of the CTU can be an on-demand time to perform themaintenance of the CTU following a current activity of the CTU.

Using solutions according to some implementations of the presentdisclosure, adaptive maintenance can be performed on a CTU, where theserviceable life of the CTU until the next maintenance is extended sothat the CTU can carry out its current operation, which can be adelivery of cargo, or a return to a home location.

Although reference is made to examples that assume driverless vehiclesused to transfer CTUs, it is noted that in other examples, solutionsaccording to some implementations of the present disclosure can beapplied to CTUs that are transferred by vehicles driven by humandrivers.

In accordance with some implementations of the present disclosure, asshown in FIG. 1, automated adjustment of an adjustable mechanicalelement 102 (or another component) of the CTU 100 can be performed. Theadjustment of the adjustable mechanical element 102 is performed in theabsence of any human driver at the CTU 100 in some examples.

Although just one adjustable mechanical element 102 is shown in FIG. 1,it is noted that in other examples, the CTU 100 can include multipleadjustable mechanical elements (or other components) that can beautomatically adjusted, i.e., without input from a human driver of avehicle that transfers the CTU 100.

As shown in FIG. 1, the CTU 100 is towed by a vehicle 104 (such as atractor or other type of vehicle). In examples according to FIG. 1, theCTU 100 is separate from the vehicle 104, and the CTU 100 can beattached to a tow platform 106 of the vehicle 104 to allow the vehicle104 to tow the CTU 100. In other examples, the vehicle 104 can be atruck, and the CTU 100 can be part of the truck 104. In furtherexamples, the vehicle 104 can have a bed or other support structure onwhich the CTU 100 is placed.

In some examples, the vehicle 104 is a driverless vehicle. Inalternative examples, the vehicle 104 can be driven by a human driver.

In some examples, the CTU 100 includes a CTU controller 108 that allowsthe CTU 100 to perform self-diagnosis and self-adjustment of theadjustable mechanical element 102. The CTU controller 108 can include ahardware processing circuit that can include any one or more of thefollowing: a microprocessor, a core of a multi-core microprocessor, amicrocontroller, a programmable gate array, a programmable integratedcircuit device, or another type of hardware processing circuit. Infurther examples, the CTU controller 108 can include a combination of ahardware processing circuit and machine-readable instructions (softwareor firmware) executable on the hardware processing circuit.

Based on information from a sensor 118, the CTU controller 108 is ableto detect a compromised condition of the adjustable mechanical element102. The CTU controller is able to determine a time of performing a nextmaintenance of the CTU 100, based on maintenance schedule information109, and can control adjustment of the adjustable mechanical element 102in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the timeof performing the next maintenance of the CTU 100.

The maintenance schedule information 109 can store information relatingto triggers that would cause scheduled maintenance of the CTU to beperformed. As examples, the triggers can include any or some combinationof the following: passage of a specified time duration, travel of theCTU for a specified distance, wear of a component past a specified wearthreshold (e.g., tire tread worn by greater than a specified depth sincea last measurement, brake pad or brake caliper worn by greater than aspecified amount since a last measurement, etc.), or other triggers. Themaintenance schedule information 109 can also store information of whenthe CTU can be next taken to a service facility for maintenance, whichcan be based on how long it would take for the CTU to travel to theservice facility, and when the service facility is next available toaccept the CTU for maintenance.

In examples according to FIG. 1, the CTU controller 108 provides acontrol indication 110 to an adjuster 112, which can perform adjustmentof the adjustable mechanical element 102 in response to the controlindication 110. The control indication 110 can include a control signal,a control message, an information element in a message, and so forth. Infurther examples, instead of being part of the CTU 100, the CTUcontroller 108 can be part of the vehicle 104, and can communicate withthe CTU 100.

Although just one sensor 118 is shown in FIG. 1, it is noted that inother examples, there can be multiple sensors to measure characteristicsof respective components of the CTU 100.

The sensor 110 can detect a wear of a component (such as the adjustablemechanical element 102) that can be worn over time due to use. Examplesof such components include a component of a brake, a wheel, a tire, andso forth. A sensor for detecting tire wear can monitor an amount oftread left on the tire. The tire wear sensor can be an optical sensorthat can detect reflected light (reflected by the tire in response tolight emitted by a light source on the CTU 100 or ambient light) todetermine a depth of the tire tread.

As another example, the tire wear sensor can include a camera (ormultiple cameras) to capture an image of each tire of the CTU 100. TheCTU controller 108 can process the captured image of each tire anddetermine the wear level of the camera.

Alternatively, the tire wear sensor can be attached to the tire, andafter some level of wear, a signal can be generated by the sensor toindicate an amount of wear that has occurred. For example, the tire wearsensor can include tire wear indicators integrated into the rubber of atire, such that when the tire wear indicators are exposed due to tirewear, a voltage change, a current change, or other signal change istriggered. Such a tire-mounted tire wear sensor can provide signalsindicating multiple different levels of wear. If the tire wear sensorindicate that the wear of the tire has reached a point past a specifiedwear threshold (i.e., the depth of the tire tread is less than thespecified wear threshold), then the CTU controller 108 can controladjustment of the tire. For example, the CTU controller 108 can causethe adjuster 112 to activate a tire lift mechanism, to lift the tirethat has experienced excessive treat. As another example, the adjuster112 can activate an axle lift mechanism, to lift an axle to which theworn tire is mounted. Lifting the worn tire results in the worn tire notbeing used during travel of the CTU 100. As another example, the CTUcontroller 108 can cause the adjuster 112 to reduce pressure in the tirethat has experienced excessive tire wear, to prevent the likelihood of ablowout of the tire. For example, the adjuster 112 can include a gaspump that is able to inflate or deflate the pressure of the tire, byrespectively injecting gas into the tire or removing gas from the tire.

In other examples, a wheel sensor can monitor wear of a wheel (alsoreferred to as a “hub”) on which a tire is mounted. The wheel includesbearings that allow the wheel to rotate relative to an axle to which thewheel is mounted. Over time, the bearings can wear out, which can leadto failure of the wheel or the tire mounted on the wheel. Worn bearingscan lead to heating of the wheel due to friction. Worn bearings maycause the wheel to lock up, or the heat due to friction of the wornbearings can cause a tire blowout if the temperature of the wheelbecomes too high. The wheel sensor can include a temperature sensor todetect a temperature of the wheel. If the temperature of the wheelexceeds a specified temperature threshold, then the wheel sensor canoutput an indication to the CTU controller 108, which can cause acorrective action to be taken. For example, the CTU controller 108 cancause the adjuster 112 to lift the wheel with the worn bearings, or liftthe axle to which the wheel with the worn bearings is mounted.

In further examples, a brake sensor can detect wear of a component of abrake, such as a brake pad or a brake caliper. A brake caliper isactuated to squeeze a brake pad to cause a braking action of the CTU.Both the brake pad and the brake caliper are subject to wear due to use.A brake wear sensor can be used to detect an amount of wear of eitherthe brake pad or the brake caliper or both. The brake wear sensor caninclude an optical sensor, or a sensor that is attached to the brake padand/or brake caliper. If the wear of the brake component (brake caliper,brake pad, or both) exceeds a specified wear threshold, then the brakewear sensor can provide an indication to the CTU controller 108 that thebrake component has experienced excessive wear.

In response to the indication of excessive wear of the brake component,the CTU controller 108 can cause the adjuster 112 to disable the brakecomponent. The CTU 100 can have multiple brakes. Thus, when a brake thathas experienced excessive wear is disabled, the remaining brakes canstill be operational. As another example, instead of disabling the wornbrake, pressure to the worn brake can be reduced, such as by reducing anamount of force that is applied by a brake caliper on a brake pad.

In other examples, other types of components that can be worn over timeor with use can also be monitored and adjusted by the CTU controller 108when excessive wear is detected.

In further examples, the sensor 118 can be a faulty operation sensor todetect faulty operation of a component of the CTU 100. For example, afault of the brake can cause the brake to no longer function, or tofunction at a reduced capacity. The faulty brake may have been caused byleakage of a brake fluid, damage to a component (e.g., the brake pad orbrake caliper) of the brake, or another cause. The faulty operationsensor can detect that the brake is no longer functioning or isfunctioning at reduced capacity, and can provide an indication to theCTU controller 108.

Another component that can experience faulty operation can include asuspension of the CTU 100. For example, the suspensions of the CTU 100can include gas suspensions that rely on pumping of gas into eachsuspension to raise the chassis of the CTU 100 and to provide for asmooth ride quality of the CTU 100. A gas leak in a suspension can causethe suspension to sag, which is an example of a faulty operation of thesensor. A gas suspension fault sensor can detect the sagging of the gassuspension, or can detect reduced gas pressure of the gas suspension,and can provide an indication of the gas suspension fault to the CTUcontroller 108.

In other examples, the suspensions of the CTU 100 can include springsuspensions. Damage to the spring of a suspension can cause thesuspension to sag, which can be detected by the suspension fault sensor.

In further examples, an aerodynamic shroud of the CTU 100 may bedamaged. The aerodynamic shroud of the CTU 100 may normally be moved todifferent positions to adjust the amount of air friction experienced bythe CTU 100 during travel. If a fault in the aerodynamic shroud preventsthe aerodynamic shroud from being operated, then the CTU 100 mayexperience excessively high air friction at high speeds of travel. Thesensor 118 can be an aerodynamic shroud sensor to detect whether theaerodynamic shroud has moved to a proper position when actuated. Anindication of the fault of the aerodynamic shroud can be provided by theaerodynamic shroud sensor to the CTU controller 108.

In other examples, faulty operation of other components of the CTU 100can be detected by sensors on the CTU 100.

In response to an indication of a fault of a component, the CTUcontroller 108 can take action to address the faulty suspension. Forexample, an axle on which a faulty brake or faulty suspension is locatedcan be raised by the adjuster 112. As another example, the faulty brakecan be disabled or its operation can be otherwise adjusted, such as byreducing a force applied by a brake caliper.

Although various examples of components that can experience wear orfault are discussed above, it is noted that the CTU 100 can includeother components that can experience wear or fault.

More generally, disabling a component that has can experienced excessivewear or a fault (i.e., a component that has experienced a compromisedcondition) can include inactivating the component, such as by sending acontrol signal to the component to cause the component to no longeroperate. In further examples, disabling the component can include movingthe component to a position to prevent the component from being operatedwhile other components of the CTU remain operational.

Adjusting the component that has experienced a compromised condition caninclude changing an operational setting of the component from a firstsetting to a different second setting, such as by reducing a pressureapplied to a brake, reducing a pressure of a tire, raising an axle onwhich a tire or a faulty suspension is located, and so forth.

In some examples, whenever a component has experienced a compromisedcondition and/or an action has been taken to adjust the component,information can be provided by the CTU controller 108 to the vehicle 104regarding the compromised condition of the component and/or the actionthat was taken to address the component with the compromised condition.More specifically, in some examples, such information is provided by theCTU controller 108 over a communication link (a wireless link or a wiredlink) to a vehicle controller 120 of the vehicle 104. The vehiclecontroller 120 can include a hardware processing circuit, or acombination of a hardware processing circuit and machine-readableinstructions executable on the hardware processing circuit.

In some cases, the vehicle controller 120 can respond to suchinformation from the CTU controller 108 by causing the vehiclecontroller 120 to adjust its operation to accommodate the component withthe compromised condition. For example, the vehicle 104 can slow downits speed, to reduce the likelihood of tire blowout, to allow more timeto brake when a brake has been disabled or adjusted, to address theissue of increased air friction due to a faulty aerodynamic shroud, andso forth. In the context of an autonomous (driverless) vehicle 104, thevehicle controller 120 can automatically adjust its operation based onthe received information regarding the compromised condition of acomponent of the CTU 100. In the context of a vehicle 104 with a humandriver, the human driver can be provided with a message (such as by thevehicle controller 120 on a display device in the vehicle 104) thatallows the human driver to adjust the operation of the vehicle 104 ifappropriate.

In response to an indication from the sensor 118 of a compromisedcondition of a component of the CTU 100, the CTU controller 108 can alsosend, through a communication transceiver 122 of the CTU 100, anotification to a remote target entity 122 over a network 116. Theremote target entity 122 can include a server computer, a cloud, a humanoperator, and so forth. The notification can include a message (e.g., anemail message, a text message), a voice call, or any other type ofnotification.

In other examples, the target entity to which the CTU controller 108 cansend a notification of a compromised condition of a component of the CTU100 can be the vehicle 104 (as discussed above) or another entity in theCTU 100.

The network 116 can be a wireless network in some examples, such as acellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), and so forth.The communication transceiver 122 can communicate radio frequency (RF)signals over a wireless network, such as RF signals used in a cellularnetwork or a WLAN.

An example cellular network can operate according to the Long-TermEvolution (LTE) standards as provided by the Third GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP). The LTE standards are also referred to asthe Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) standards. Inother examples, other types of cellular networks can be employed, suchas second generation (2G) or third generation (3G) cellular networks,e.g., a Global System for Mobile (GSM) cellular network, an EnhancedData rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) cellular network, a UniversalTerrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), a Code Division MultipleAccess (CDMA) 2000 cellular network, and so forth. In further examples,cellular networks can be fifth generation (5G) or beyond cellularnetworks. In additional examples, a wireless network can include a WLAN,which can operate according to the Institute of Electrical andElectronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 or Wi-Fi Alliance Specifications. Inother examples, other types of wireless networks can be employed by theCTU controller 108 to communicate with a remote service, such as aBluetooth link, a ZigBee network, and so forth. Additionally, somewireless networks can enable cellular IoT, such as wireless accessnetworks according to LTE Advanced for Machine-Type Communication(LTE-MTC), narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), and so forth.

In further examples, in response to detecting a compromised condition ofa component of the CTU 100, the CTU controller 108 can provide anotification of a reduction of a load capacity of the CTU 100. Thenotification can be sent to the vehicle controller 120 (or to a driverof the vehicle 104), to cause the vehicle 104 (either the vehiclecontroller 120 or a driver) to not accept cargo loading of the CTU 100from exceeding a specified weight. In the CTU 100 without a compromisedcomponent, the CTU 100 may accept cargo loading up to a first specifiedweight. Once a component having a compromised condition is detected,then the CTU 100 may accept cargo loading up to a second specifiedweight that is less than the first specified weight. Thus, for example,once the amount of cargo that is already loaded into the CTU 100 is ator near the specified second weight, the vehicle 104 can deny anyfurther requests for loading cargo into the CTU 100, even if the CTU 100has additional capacity to receive additional cargo.

In additional examples, in response to detecting a compromised conditionof a component of the CTU 100, the CTU controller 108 can provide anotification of a reduction of a load capacity of the CTU 100 to theremote target entity 122, which can be a server or a human administratorthat is able to schedule loading of cargo onto the CTU 100. Based on thenotification of a reduction of a load capacity of the CTU 100 (oralternatively, based on a notification of a compromised condition of aCTU component), the remote target entity 122 can take steps to reducethe cargo loading of the CTU 100.

Although FIG. 1 shows the sensor 118 as being part of the CTU 100, it isnoted that in other examples, the sensor 118 can be part of the vehicle104, and a communication link is provided between the vehicle 104 andthe CTU 100 to communicate measurement information from the sensor 118to the CTU controller 108. In examples where there are multiple sensors118, one or more sensors can be part of the CTU 100, and one or moreother sensors can be part of the vehicle 104.

In the ensuing discussion, when reference is made to a “sensor of theCTU,” that can refer to either a sensor on the CTU 100, or a sensor ofthe vehicle 104 to which the CTU 100 is attached, mounted, or part of.

FIG. 1 shows examples where the CTU controller 108 is part of the CTU100. As shown in FIG. 2, in alternative examples, a CTU 200 is providedwithout an internal controller such as the CTU controller 108 of FIG. 1.In examples according to FIG. 2, a CTU controller 202 that is remotelylocated from the CTU 200 can be employed (the CTU controller 202 isreferred to as a “remote CTU controller 202”). For example, the remoteCTU controller 202 can be part of a central system that includes one ormore computers. The central system can include a server system that hasone or more server computers, a cloud system, and so forth.

The CTU controller 202 is able to communicate over the network 116 withthe CTU 200. In such examples, the communication transceiver 122 of theCTU 200 can transmit information regarding the CTU 200 over the network116 to the remote CTU controller 202, and the remote CTU controller 202can use the information provided by the CTU 200 as well as maintenanceschedule information 203 (which is similar to the maintenance scheduleinformation 109 of FIG. 1) to perform controlling of the adjuster 112 tocontrol the adjustable mechanical element 102. Based on sensorinformation received from the CTU 200, the CTU controller 202 is able todetermine a compromised condition of a component of the CTU 200, and cancontrol adjustment of the component based on the maintenance scheduleinformation 203. The CTU controller 202 is able to generate a controlindication that is transmitted by the CTU controller 202 over thenetwork 116 to the CTU 200. The control indication received through thecommunication transceiver 122 of the CTU 200 is provided as the controlindication 110 to the adjuster 112 to adjust the adjustable mechanicalelement 102.

The remote CTU controller 202 can send notifications to the vehiclecontroller 120 and/or to the remote target entity 122 over the network116, similar to the notifications discussed above in connection withFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process according to some examples. Theprocess includes sensing (at 302), using a sensor (e.g., 118 in FIG. 1or 2) of a CTU (e.g., 100 or 200 in FIG. 1 or 2), a condition of acomponent of the CTU. A CTU controller (e.g., 108 or 202 in FIG. 1 or 2)determines (at 304) whether the sensed condition from the sensorindicates a compromised condition of the component. The CTU controllerdetermines (at 306) a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU.The time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU can refer to ascheduled time, such as a regularly scheduled time for performingmaintenance of the CTU, or a time that is requested or set on demand,such as in response to detecting a compromised condition of a component.The time of the next maintenance of the CTU can be based on an amount oftime for the CTU to travel to a service facility, and the time that theservice facility is available to receive the CTU for maintenance.

The CTU controller causes (at 308) modification of an operation of theCTU in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on atime of performing the next maintenance of the CTU. As explained above,the modifying of the operation of the CTU can involve adjusting acomponent in the CTU.

In further examples, the modifying of the operation of the CTU caninclude setting a reduced load capacity of the CTU, such that the CTUwould be loaded with a smaller amount of cargo.

In additional examples, the modifying of the operation of the CTU caninclude sending a notification to a vehicle (e.g., the vehicle 104 ofFIG. 1 or 2) to cause the vehicle to adjust its operation (e.g. reduceits speed) such that the operation of the CTU (e.g., the speed of theCTU) is also adjusted correspondingly.

In further examples, in addition to causing modification of operation ofthe CTU in response to a compromised condition of a CTU component, theCTU controller can also automatically set an appointment to maintain theCTU with a service facility. Additionally, the CTU controller can orderone or more parts to repair the CTU component in response to detectingthe compromised condition of the CTU component, such that the one ormore parts to fix the CTU component are available when the CTU is takento the service facility for maintenance. This can reduce an amount ofdowntime of the CTU associated with performing maintenance, sinceordering part(s) ahead of time can increase the likelihood that thepart(s) are available once the CTU is taken in for maintenance.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example controller 400 (e.g., the CTUcontroller 108 of FIG. 1, the CTU controller 202 of FIG. 2, or thevehicle controller 120 of FIG. 1 or 2). The controller 400 includes aprocessor 402 (or multiple processors), where a processor can be ahardware processing circuit. The controller 400 further includes anon-transitory or computer-readable storage medium 404 that stores CTUadaptive maintenance instructions 406 that are executable on theprocessor 402 to perform various tasks as discussed in the presentdisclosure. The storage medium 404 also stores maintenance scheduleinformation 406 (e.g., 109 in FIG. 1 or 203 in FIG. 2) that can be usedby the CTU adaptive maintenance instructions 406 to adjust an operationof the CTU.

The storage medium 404 can include any or some combination of thefollowing: a semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic or staticrandom access memory (a DRAM or SRAM), an erasable and programmableread-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmableread-only memory (EEPROM) and flash memory; a magnetic disk such as afixed, floppy and removable disk; another magnetic medium includingtape; an optical medium such as a compact disk (CD) or a digital videodisk (DVD); or another type of storage device. Note that theinstructions discussed above can be provided on one computer-readable ormachine-readable storage medium, or alternatively, can be provided onmultiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage media distributedin a large system having possibly plural nodes. Such computer-readableor machine-readable storage medium or media is (are) considered to bepart of an article (or article of manufacture). An article or article ofmanufacture can refer to any manufactured single component or multiplecomponents. The storage medium or media can be located either in themachine running the machine-readable instructions, or located at aremote site from which machine-readable instructions can be downloadedover a network for execution.

In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to providean understanding of the subject disclosed herein. However,implementations may be practiced without some of these details. Otherimplementations may include modifications and variations from thedetails discussed above. It is intended that the appended claims coversuch modifications and variations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A controller comprising: at least one processorconfigured to: detect a compromised condition of a component of a cargotransportation unit (CTU); determine a time of performing a nextmaintenance of the CTU; and control adjustment of the component inresponse to detecting the compromised condition and based on the time ofperforming the next maintenance of the CTU.
 2. The controller of claim1, wherein the compromised condition of the component comprises wear ofthe component exceeding a wear threshold.
 3. The controller of claim 1,wherein the compromised condition of the component comprises a faultyoperation of the component.
 4. The controller of claim 1, wherein thedetermined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU is a timeof a pre-scheduled maintenance of the CTU.
 5. The controller of claim 1,wherein the determined time of performing the next maintenance of theCTU is an on-demand time to perform the maintenance of the CTU followinga current activity of the CTU.
 6. The controller of claim 5, wherein thecurrent activity of the CTU comprises a delivery of cargo by the CTU toa destination.
 7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the adjustment ofthe component comprises disabling the component.
 8. The controller ofclaim 7, wherein disabling the component comprises inactivating thecomponent.
 9. The controller of claim 7, wherein disabling the componentcomprises moving the component to a position to prevent the componentfrom being operated while other components of the CTU are operational.10. The controller of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the componentcomprises changing an operational setting of the component from a firstsetting to a different second setting.
 11. The controller of claim 1,wherein the at least one processor is configured to further: send, overa network, a notification to a target entity, in response to detectingthe compromised condition.
 12. The controller of claim 1, wherein the atleast one processor configured to: detect a compromised condition of asecond component of the CTU; and provide a notification of a reductionof a load capacity of the CTU, in response to detecting the compromisedcondition of the second component.
 13. A method comprising: sensing,using a sensor of a cargo transportation unit (CTU), a condition of acomponent of the CTU; determining, by a controller, whether the sensedcondition from the sensor indicates a compromised condition of thecomponent; determining, by the controller, a time of performing a nextmaintenance of the CTU; and causing, by the controller, modification ofan operation of the CTU in response to detecting the compromisedcondition and based on the time of performing the next maintenance ofthe CTU.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modification of theoperation of the CTU comprises adjusting or disabling the component. 15.The method of claim 13, wherein the modification of the operation of theCTU comprises setting a reduced load capacity of the CTU.
 16. The methodof claim 13, wherein the modification of the operation of the CTUcomprises reducing a speed of the CTU
 17. The method of claim 16,further comprising: sending, by the controller to a vehicle transferringthe CTU, a notification to cause the vehicle to reduce a speed of thevehicle to correspondingly reduce the speed of the CTU.
 18. The methodof claim 13, further comprising: setting, by the controller, anappointment for maintenance in response to determining the compromisedcondition of the component.
 19. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising: ordering, by the controller, a part for repairing thecomponent in response to determining the compromised condition of thecomponent.
 20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storinginstructions that upon execution cause a controller to: detect acompromised condition of a component of a cargo transportation unit(CTU); determine a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU; andcause adjustment of the component in response to detecting thecompromised condition and based on the time of performing the nextmaintenance of the CTU.